Origins of Magyk
by WingsofDust
Summary: "I guard. I watch. And most of all, I remember." They say that technology can look like magic to those who don't recognize it. At the end of his apprenticeship to Marcia, Septimus learns about what Magyk is, and where is really came from. How the world we know today ended to give rise to the world of Septimus Heap. The atrocities and mistakes of the past must never be repeated.


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_Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from Magyk_

_-Arthur C Clarke's Third Law, quoted from Fyre_

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**This quote is part of what inspired this fanfiction. The other part of it was a bunch of Green Day and Linkin Park songs about death and nukes. You can guess where this is going.**

**Oh, by the way, Septimus Heap is not mine.**

* * *

Today was a special day for Septimus. It's not everyday that you complete your ExtraOrdinary apprenticeship, after all.

Eventually, though the celebrations ended. The party was over. And Marcia knew there was one last task for Septimus to fulfill, though it broke her heart. After the party cleanup was over, Marcia found Septimus in his room, straightening out his **Charms** shelf.

"Come on, Septimus."

Sensing something in her tone, Septimus turned around. "Yeah?" Marcia sighed. It was best to get this over with.

"It's time you learned.." she composed herself. "...learned where** Magyk** comes from, and why it came to be." Septimus perked up.

"Really? Cool!" Marcia turned away. If only it was, as Septimus put it, "cool".

* * *

Marcia led Septimus through the dank tunnels under the castle, deeper than even the Chamber of** Fyre**. They walked for a long time, their way lit only by Marcia's torch and Septimus' Dragon Ring before they reached a massive arch. Marcia glanced at the arch, and turned away.

"Is something wrong, Marcia?" Septimus asked.

"No, nothing is wrong. Go on in- you must do this alone." Septimus looked at Marcia. Was she... crying?

Septimus glanced at the words engraved in the arch, written in an ancient tongue. He read them slowly, before venturing in.

_When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul..._

* * *

Septimus walked for several more minutes before reaching a pair of double doors set into the stone wall. He pushed open the first door, and slowly walked in. There was a small blue light in the dark, and he paused.

"Hello?" He called out bravely.

Suddenly, the lights gradually turned on, until Septimus could see where he was. He was in a massive room, so big that the lights didn't illuminate it all. He was standing in an aisle, with two chairs at the end. He stepped forward, before drawing back. A voice came out of the walls of the room.

"Identify yourself, guest." Septimus wondered who it was. Was this** Darke Magyk**? But then, Marcia would have warned him if it was. He decided it was safe to answer.

"Septimus Heap, ExtraOrdinary Apprentice to Marcia Overstrand, ExtraOrdinary Wizard." He said. The strange objects in the room hummed and beeped for a few moments, and then a flash of blue light lit up the bigger chair. It swirled and spun, before slowly becoming a boy about Septimus's age. He had black hair that hung over his eyes, which were grey. He was wearing a tattered black T-shirt, brown boots, and a pair of canvas- like blue pants, which were once called "blue jeans".

"Welcome, Septimus. I've been waiting." The boy smiled sadly.

"What... how..." Septimus stuttered. This was beyond any **Magyk**, **Darke** or otherwise, that he'd ever heard of. "Who... who are you?" The boy looked down.

"Everything... and nothing. I honestly don't know anymore. But you can call me Scott."

"But... what kind of **Magyk** is this?"

"Not magic- technology."

"Huh?"

Scott explained to the confused apprentice. "I am the protector of what once was. I guard it with my life, because it is my life and duty. It's all I have left.

"I don't understand," Septimus said apologetically.

Scott sighed, as if the memories pained him. "You know the year to be 12,004, correct?"

"Yes," Septimus answered, feeling as if he was missing something.

"I come from 2238" Scott said plainly. Septimus felt the world spin beneath him. He knew it was possible to live for several centuries, like Marcellus, but this boy was nearly 10,000 years old!

"Wha... wha... I-I don't understand!" Septimus stuttered. Scott continued.

"Sit down on this chair, will you?" He gestured to the second chair next to the first one- this one smaller, but still covered with wires and lights. Septimus, too stunned to react, sat down. Scott concentrated for a moment, and with two identical flashes of blue light, the pair disappeared

* * *

Septimus opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was that he was floating. The second was his surroundings. He was in a... place, he guessed. It was pitch black, except for a faint yellowish light given off by his ring- wait, no, it wasn't the ring._ He was glowing_. He was in an outfit similar to Scott's- except his T-shirt was green. He noticed Scott floating next to him, a blueish amulet hanging around his neck.

"Wait, where are we?" Septimus questioned.

"Hard to say, I suppose it would be nowhere at all. Come on, we have a lot to see." Septimus crossed his arms.

"No. Not until you tell me what is going on, and who exactly are you!

Scott turned to him, and leaned back, hands behind his head. "Alright, fine. Tell me if you are confused." Septimus nodded. "So. I come from a world where there is- was no magic. There still is none."

"Wait, what? But I can do magic!" Septimus stated.

"True, you think it's magic. But it's actually technology. You see, in the Before, as I call it, we had technology. Wondrous technology, if used correctly. But that was the crux of the matter, see?"

"Not really."

"So what you use to do your **Magyk**- your **Charms** and** Potions** and all that, are just science. The potions are complex chemistry reactions. The charms are machines- technology so complicated and powerful that they still work, even today. I won't go into details, you wouldn't understand anyway, but to put it as simply as possible, biological nanobots in your bloodstream make up your** Magykal** abilities. Regular nanobots in the charms react with your nanobots to do things- like **Magyk**.

Septimus gaped. Was Scott saying that **Magyk** was actually a bunch of tiny machines?

"But the technology I'm talking about is older and more powerful than you could ever imagine. We built our world out of it, but we abused what we built and killed ourselves with it."

Septimus got over his shock. "But who- or what- are you?"

"I was a survivor. I- I left everything behind and became one with these machines. Now, I guard. I watch. And most of all... I remember."

Septimus thought about it. "What do you need from me? Why am I here?"

"I need to show you what happened all those years ago. Every ExtraOrdinary wizard must learn. You need to understand it, so you can prevent it from ever happening again." Scott held out his hand. "We'll start whenever you're ready."

Septimus took a deep breath. "Okay," he said.

* * *

**So, this is Chapter One. The next chapter will be the final one, with Septimus learning what happened to create Magyk. Marcia may have seemed slightly out of character, but that actually fits into what happens in the next chapter.**

_When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul _

_- Greenday, 21 guns._

**21 guns is also the song I happen to be listening to while I write this. Good song for this type of fanfiction. **

**Anyway, review!**


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